Disease
by Cold Nightmares
Summary: Lucy has a new feeling and it’s overwhelming... especially when the new feeling is for Edmund. Don't LIKE it don't READ.
1. Sickness

The eyes

Chapter 1-Sickness

Author's note: Lucy has a new feeling and it's overwhelming... especially when the new feeling is for Edmund.

Lucy has sixteen years, Edmund has eighteen, Susan has twenty years and Peter twenty-one.

Disclaimer: Characters are not mine. They belong to C.S Lewis.

--

Lucy opened her eyes, startled. Thunders and lightning. She threw a peek on the window, only to see a terrifying image for her. She hated storms. And even though she had sixteen years old, she was still scared of them. Lucy found herself staring at the ceiling, from her room, inside Cair Paravel. The sheets made of silk surrounded her body like a soft touch. Another thunder and Lucy jumped from her bed. She couldn't stand there anymore. Not alone. With her bare feet on the cold floor, she opened the door slowly and checked the corridor. It was clear. No one in sight. Lucy couldn't go to Peter for comfort, because he had more important problems to resolve than her fear of storms and Edmund was out of the question. He would mock her and laugh at her. Susan. She was the solution.

Lucy started to walk on her tiptoes in the dark, empty hall looking for Susan's bedroom. Ugh. Even after all these years it was hard for her to find something in that place. And the darkness made her searching much more difficult than she expected. A light covered the walls, for a moment, scaring Lucy to death. That meant the thunder was next. Even though Lucy was called "The Valiant", she still feared thunders. That was her weakness. The force of the nature.

Lucy's feet were shaking like two leaves in the wind's blow, when she heard the sky's explosion. "Ok, Lucy. Calm down!" she screamed inside her mind. "Susan's room. Susan's room. It's right on the left… no, on the right. Yes. On the right, this door!"

Lucy smiled with a happy look on her face. She was standing right in front of the door that belonged to her sister's chamber. That wasn't very hard. "Now knock. Actually, don't. She might not hear you. Just enter like you used to do when you were younger. Susan will know it's you. She will just smile and pat on your back. Just enter".

She pushed the doorknob, closed the door without making a sound and turned around. She couldn't see very well, but noticed a dark silhouette under the covers that was sleeping noisily. "That's weird. Susan usually sleeps quietly." Lucy shrugged and approached to the bed, sliding under the covers, next to her sister, and trying to see her features, but she couldn't realize a thing. Then Lucy put a hand on Susan's cheek to wake her.

"Susan…" Lucy whispered. "Susan… I know it isn't the right moment… Susan are you listening to me? Susan? Wake up! Wake up, Susan!"

Lucy started shaking her sister. Only that… It was very strange. Susan's shoulders weren't so big. Lucy touched the hair. It was too short to be Susan's hair.

"Just five more minutes, mom…" A low voice muttered. "It's too low to be Susan's voice." Lucy realized, alarmed. The thunder hit the sky again, making Lucy to scream from all her lungs and to put her arms around the sleepy form in a bone crushing hug.

"What the...?!"

Edmund swore. Then a long sentence formed of "dirty" words came from his mouth. He suddenly stood up, pushing the creature who was trying to destroy him by crushing his bones, and fell from the bed with a hard thud, yelling in pain. He crept on the floor until he touched the wall and switched on the light, narrowing his eyes. Edmund saw Lucy in his bed, staring at him with her big, blue eyes.

"What are you doing in my bed, Lucy?!" he asked her, with a big frown on his face.

"I'm… I'm sorry, Ed." Lucy said embarrassed, avoiding his gaze. "I thought this is Susan's room."

"Well, now you know it isn't Susan's room! I can't believe this! A normal boy can't sleep peacefully, without being interrupted by someone who's trying to ambush him!" Edmund shrieked.

"I said I'm sorry!" Lucy snapped. "I was scared and I thought I could get some comfort from my sister. I'm not used with this place, yet."  
Edmund sighed, shaking his head in disappointment. Then he lifted his eyes, with a big grin on his face. "There he goes again." Lucy thought, rolling her eyes.

"Why are you scared, Lu?" Edmund told her, laughing.

"Oh, shut up." She said irritated, but she forgot about her brother's annoying comment, when the storm made a big noise, again. Lucy looked at Ed with her eyes wide with fear, only to meet a mocking face.

"I better go to find Susan's room." Lucy announced, standing up and walking to the door. Edmund quickly blocked her way, watching his sister with a smug look on his face.

"Where do you think you're going? You won't find Susan's bedroom, I assure you."

"Well, if you imagine I will stay with you, you're wrong. I'm not going to tolerate your mean comments and your laughs all night. Just get out of my way."

Lucy tried to reach the doorknob, passing next to Edmund, but he caught her hand just in time. The girl jumped in surprise when she saw his dark, hypnotizing eyes, and gave up. He switched off the light and put his arm around her middle, dragging Lucy in bed. She was aware of what was happening, but she couldn't control it. Lucy lay on his bed, waiting for her brother to do the same, but Edmund just studied her. After a while, he touched Lucy in a strange way that scared her, caressing her hip, then her face and then… He stopped, retreating his hand and making Lucy to open her eyes, confused.

"What's wrong, Edmund?" she asked with an innocent voice, but he just stood near the bed, without moving. "Edmund?" Lucy said, dumbfounded.

"Just go, Luce." He muttered angry.

"Why?"

"Because I said so."

"But I don't want to leave." Lucy responded. "Please, Edmund. Why don't you…?"

"Don't you what?" Lucy thought, realizing that Edmund was right. She should have gone from his room. But she didn't want to go. She desired his touch. She wanted Edmund's hands on her back and his lips on her lips. Lucy trembled at these thoughts, remaining like a lifeless doll on the bed, in front of him, gazing at the empty space. Then she felt his hand again and his body over hers. Edmund kissed her mouth with passion, without even thinking, and Lucy's fingers played with his black hair. The girl started to unbutton his shirt, but Edmund stopped her, with a weird smile.

"Don't do that, Lucy, I'm your brother."

The thunder awoke Lucy. She put a hand on her chest and noticed that her heart was beating very fast. She touched her forehead and felt her own sweat. Even her hair was soaked. "So it was just a dream." She thought, feeling very awkward. Lucy waited and tried to regain her normal breathing, exhaling. Then all her thoughts gathered around her brother. Lucy couldn't tell anyone about that dream. She remembered Edmund's face and felt how her cheeks were growing red. Why did her own brother make her feel like that? She knew it was wrong. Lucy didn't even get along with Edmund. She was closer with Peter or Susan than with him. Lucy checked her beautiful, blue night dress and observed that it was wet. Her sheets were wet from the sweat, too. She decided to go and drink a glass of water, but she remembered that she wasn't used with Cair Paravel's halls. The youngest Pevensie didn't realize when she fell asleep. It just happened, suddenly. Fortunately, Lucy didn't dream about Edmund, anymore. When she opened her eyelids, the sun was entering in her room, touching Lucy's pale face with its warm light. She heard a faint noise and noticed Susan, throwing her dresses from the big, wooden wardrobe with a desperate look on her face.

"Where is it?!" Susan hummed annoyed, studying her sister's clothes.

"Hi, Su" Lucy smiled warmly. "Can I help you?"

Susan leapt in surprise, glancing at Lucy.

"Oh, Luce" She muttered, sighing. "Did you see my red dress? I looked everywhere and I hoped I could find it in your room."

"No. But why do you need your red dress?" the blue eyed girl asked, confused.

"Oh my God!" Susan screeched. "Don't tell me you have forgotten!"

"What?"

"Today it's the great ball, Lu. You know, when all the other nations are gathering here to celebrate the peace that we have managed to keep for such a long time, since our arrival in Narnia as kings and queens?"

Lucy slapped her own forehead, exasperated.

"Why do you make such a big deal, Susan? It's just a ball. That's boring."

"Boring?!" her older sister squealed. "It's boring when all men come and ask you to dance with them? Boring when you talk and laugh all night with kings and knights?"

Lucy didn't continue that pointless discussion and jumped from her bed, opening the door.

"Where are you going?" Susan asked, scandalized by Lucy's indifference.

"I'm going to say to Peter that I don't want to attend the ball. I desire to spend this day in the Western Woods."

Susan tried to keep her patience.

"You are really stubborn sometimes. This isn't a regular ball, Lucy. It's like… the greatest ball from the last few hundred years. Your presence is needed there. And you can't walk on the corridor dressed in your nightgown! The royal majesties from the other lands are starting to arrive. We cannot let them see you like that! Come here!"

Susan dragged an annoyed Lucy near the wardrobe and checked all the dresses.

"I think this is perfect for the occasion!" She smiled, showing a long, green robe, with a black flower, sewed on the right side. Lucy snatched the cloth from Susan's hands, staring frustrated at her, then she changed quickly, feeling how the dress was embracing the forms of her body.

"Happy now?" She asked, sarcastic.

"Oh, Lucy, you look lovely! But your hair is a mess."

"Oh, please!" growled the young girl, trying to escape from Susan's obsession about the hair. "I'm outta here!" She told her sister, slamming the door, before Susan could respond her.

Lucy decided that it was better if she would take a long walk in Cair Paravel's large garden, to clear her mind, but she couldn't get rid off the guests that have already arrived at the castle. All kind of creatures and a lot of humans followed her, questioning Lucy, complimenting her dress and even asking her hand in marriage. She couldn't stand anymore all the pressure and hid in a bush. When she was sure that no one was around there, Lucy ran with all her speed through the gardens, back in Cair Paravel's halls. She threw a look behind to see if someone was following her, only to bump into Edmund, making both of them to fall on the ground. Edmund stoop up frustrated, with his head still spinning from the shock, but his anger faltered when he saw Lucy's state. Actually, he began to laugh.

"You look like a forest freak!" he cracked, pointing a finger at her.

Lucy stood up as well, wrinkling her brow.

"Give me a break! They have all gone mad!"

"Who?" he grinned. "Your fans?"

Lucy didn't respond. She gawked at his face, looking like she was in a trance.

"Hello?" Edmund asked, lifting a hand in front of her eyes. "Savage girl! Earth to Lucy!"

Lucy shivered, trying to erase her memories from the strange dream that she had about Edmund. But she couldn't. All she saw was his face… and his eyes… and…

"Lucy!!" Edmund yelled in her ear.

"Geez, Ed!" She said, coming back to reality. "You almost provoked me a heart attack!"

"Well, I am really worried about you, Luce. For a moment there, I thought you lost your mind. What's wrong with your hair? I think some leaves are growing from it" He snickered.

"What?!" Lucy said surprised, touching her hair and discovering leaves and cracks in it.

"Here, let me help you." Edmund told her, but Lucy took a step back, alarmed.

"No!" She yelped. "Don't come any closer!"

"Why?!" Edmund asked, petrified.

"Just don't!"

"But why, Lucy?"

"Because you are scary!" Lucy lied, with a weird face.

Edmund stopped dead in his tracks, tangled.

"Have you taken some pills or have you hit your head in a wall?" He spoke, mocking his sister.

Lucy cringed. She didn't want to approach to Edmund because she was afraid. Afraid of her feelings for him. She closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath.

"I am sick and I don't want to give you my illness."

"But yesterday you were perfectly fine!"

"I caught a cold and I woke up dizzy in the morning."

"Aww, you poor thing." Edmund grinned, ironic. "That's why you are saying words without sense like a crazy person. Don't worry. I'm not scared of your sickness."

He put a hand on her forehead and Lucy automatically lifted her face with a dreamy look, feeling very warm.

"You really have a fever!" Edmund frowned. "I thought you were kidding."

Lucy continued watching his face, smiling.

"And you act very strange… You don't usually smile like that. We better talk to Peter. I don't think you can stay at the ball like this."

Lucy squealed with delight inside her head, but she tried not to look too happy. Her brother took her hand and Lucy intertwined her fingers with his, giggling and receiving a scared look from Edmund.

"Peter!" Edmund yelled, knocking desperately.

The older brother opened the door, startled.

"What?!"

Edmund stepped aside, revealing Lucy.

"Lu!" Peter exclaimed, catching her arm and taking her on the bed, followed by a bewildered Edmund.

"What's wrong with her?" Peter asked his brother.

"She's sick. I don't think she can stand at the ball. What if she faints? I mean, look at her. I met Lu on the hall and she said a lot of senseless things."

"Things like what?"

"She said that I am scary."

"Well, that's a normal sentence. She just described you." Peter chuckled.

Edmund dashed with his fists tense.

"Ed." Lucy stopped him. "I don't think violence will resolve my problem."

Lucy started to believe that her brothers were right. She really felt sick. Her head hurt badly and she was sensing a tight knot in her stomach. Especially when Edmund was around her. That was abnormal. She couldn't avoid him in every moment of her life.

Edmund calmed himself, throwing a dangerous look in Peter's direction.

"Lucy." Peter said, ignoring Edmund, who was making funny faces behind his back. "Do you feel nauseous?"

"Um… Not really. I just felt dizzy. That's all. But now I am better." She smiled optimistic.

"Trust me, Peter." Edmund interfered. "She will scare a lot of people at the ball. They will all run from her and the ball will stop. You don't want the mighty Susan's anger upon us, do you?" He laughed with a mean face.

Lucy looked at him hurt.

"Why would they run from me?" She asked offended.

"Because you're crazy. Look at you. Lucy, the holy spirit of the woods!" He scoffed her.

"Shut up!" She yelled insulted. "Get out of this room!"

"Why, holy spirit of the woods?" Edmund smirked, pleased that he succeeded to annoy Lucy. "It's not even your room. It's Peter's."

"You are making me sick! My stomach hurts because of you!" Lucy cried, wincing.

Peter and Edmund watched her with dazed looks on their features. Then, Peter turned at Edmund, furious.

"What did you do to her, punk?!" The oldest Pevensie scolded him, but Edmund raised his hands in front of him, defending himself.

"Nothing, I swear! I told you she is crazy but you didn't listen to me!"

"I am not crazy!" Lucy leapt, provoked. "I told you the truth! My stomach really hurts when I see Edmund!"

Peter burst out laughing when he saw Edmund's outraged face.

"What's wrong with you?! Do I really cause you nausea? My face is disfigured or what?!" He yelled angry, but Lucy just stared at him in pain.

"I am sorry, Ed. Get out. I think I will throw up if you scream at me again." She said, looking down, guilty.

Edmund gazed at Lucy, with his dark eyes wide, taken aback, then made a disgusted face and slammed the door behind him.

"Did you really mean it, Lu?" Peter asked, disoriented.

His sister nodded quietly, with a sad face.

"Why does Ed make you feel like that?" Peter told her, worried.

"I…I am not sure. I can't tell you, Pete. But I know that I can't stay around Edmund. Not for a while, anyway."


	2. Fight

Chapter 2-Fight

Author's note: Edmund and Lucy are funny kids. So I decided to post another chapter about them.

Disclaimer: I disclaim.

--

--

Lucy was pacing through her room like a wild animal in a cage. That was ridiculous! How could Peter do this to her! She flung herself in her bed and listened to the music that was wrapping vaguely the walls. They had fun at the ball and she had to stay in her room, only because they thought she felt sick. Lucy pictured Susan dancing with a powerful king, Peter smiling and talking to the guests and Edmund laughing mischievously and pulling pranks on them. At least they could let her go outside, in the woods to hunt, but no: "Lucy, who knows what might happen to you?" Those were Susan's words. She was old enough to take care of herself! Stupid older brothers and their worries.

"That's it!" Lucy jumped, decided. "I'm not going to stay all night locked in my bedroom!"

She opened the door, quietly and realized that the corridor was empty. Everyone was in the Throne Room where the ball took place. She sighed, relieved. Well, at least one of her brothers wasn't there to send her back in the chamber. Lucy didn't care that she was dressed in her night robe. She had one purpose. To get out of Cair Paravel as quickly as possible. She walked on her tiptoes, looking in all directions, very careful. If someone saw her there, then Peter would find out and she didn't want that. After a few moments, besides the music that was enveloping the whole castle, Lucy heard a faint noise. Giggles and whispers right after the corner. She came closer to the source of the noise and noticed in the dark hall two people. One of them was a pretty girl, with long, blonde hair, that seemed to be around Lucy's age, and the other one was Edmund. Lucy stopped frozen and tried to listen what were they saying, but she perceived only some of the words like "Cutie pie" or "Funny and handsome". After this, the young Pevensie didn't need anything else to understand what was happening. Edmund and the girl flirted with each other. Lucy felt her blood boil. She was shaking with fury. She was so distracted in her own, tortured mind that she didn't even notice her brother and his new girlfriend near her, staring.

Lucy snapped back to the reality when she heard Edmund's voice.

"This is my little sister." He grinned, ironical.

"Lucy the Valiant? That Lucy I have heard about in all lands?" The girl asked, surprised. "You don't look like a queen." She continued, scornful, but Lucy didn't say anything. She watched them, numb, on the verge of tears. She couldn't even speak.

"I'm sorry about her." Edmund responded. "Lucy has kinda floated in her own little world, since this morning. Peter and Susan think she is sick…" He made a pause, then whispered in the blonde's ear, but Lucy heard everything. "I think she's crazy."

His girlfriend snickered and he smiled satisfied. Lucy shook her head, hurt. She thought she was going to throw up because of the pain from her chest, right then and there. Instead of that, she burst into tears making Edmund jump, startled, with a frightened look on his face. He wrapped his arms around Lucy, patting her back.

"Shhh… Lucy Lu. You don't have to cry. Why did you leave your room? You know you are not feeling well."

Lucy pushed him with an angry face.

"I'm sick and tired of you, Edmund! I was perfectly fine in this night before you appeared! And I don't need your comfort! Don't treat me like a little, spoiled girl!"

Edmund and the girl gaped in amazement at Lucy, with their jaws almost touching the floor.

"Fine!" Edmund yelled, furious. "If you are going to tell me again that my face makes you throw up, then go ahead, brat! You freak! Come on, Amarra!"

He took the blonde's hand and disappeared in the obscurity that surrounded them, letting his sister alone and pained.

--

After the ball, almost everyone has gone to sleep. Susan was still checking all the rooms to assure herself that nothing was badly damaged or destroyed. She walked joyous on the corridors, at 3 in the morning, but her happy mood vanished when she heard Lucy's sobs. She burst in her sister's bedroom, alarmed, only to find her under the covers, hugging a big pillow and crying into it.

"Lucy!" Susan called her, scared, but her sister didn't respond. She didn't lift her face from the pillow and kept weeping.

Susan put a hand on Lucy's shoulder.

"Please, Susan." Lucy muttered in the pillow, with a shaky voice, "Leave me alone."

"But you have to tell me what happened, Lucy." She said, unhappy at the sight of her hurt sister.

"Nothing happened. I'm… I'm confused, Su."

"Why, Luce? What makes you feel so bad?"

"I can't tell you. Just… call Edmund."

Susan nodded quietly, wondering, even though Lucy couldn't see her. The pale girl exited the room, and run desperate until she saw Edmund's room and knocked, only to discover that Edmund wasn't there. She insulted him in her mind and started searching her brother in other places. Susan finally found him in the weapon's room.

"Why are you training at this hour, Edmund?" Susan asked, but she mentally slapped herself and told him about her little sister. "Lucy is crying and she said she wanted to see you!" She announced him stupefied.

Edmund dropped his sword, awestruck and, without a word, he followed Susan. When they arrived in front of Lucy's room he turned to his older sister, frowning.

"Let us alone, Su."

Susan gazed at him, surprised, but she respected his wish. Edmund entered unsurely in the dark bedroom and sat on the bed, studying Lucy. She fell asleep, but he could see her tired, husky features and he could feel the wet pillow. Edmund lied down, next to her and caressed Lucy's pretty face. He stared at her body and touched carefully her hip. The boy embraced his sister, sticking his body to hers and making Lucy to open her eyes.

"Edmund…" She croaked, tearful.

"That's all right, Lu. I'm here. I won't leave."

Lucy started shaking again. She felt the sweat on her forehead and her heart beating too fast.

"Lucy, you're not feeling well." Edmund said, nervous. "You're soaking."

She lifted her hot face, looked into his dark eyes and the tight knot from her stomach came back again.

"I have a heart disease, Ed."

"What?" Edmund flinched, worried. "You can't suddenly have a heart disease, Lucy Lu."

"I know. But I realized this illness 2 days ago."

"Don't say these things, Luce. You are perfectly fine. You just caught a little cold, that's all." He told her, pressing his face into her perfumed hair.

Edmund could feel the forms of her body rubbing against his limbs, in a tight cuddle. This thing created shivers down his spine.

"Sleep now." He whispered into her ear. He clasped his hand with hers and snuggled with Lucy under the soft sheets.

"I can't. I can't even sleep anymore. My stomach hurts badly, Ed. It's because… because…"

"Because of me?" Edmund asked, displeased.

Lucy nodded and closed her eyes, feeling dizzy again.

"Why it's because of me, Lucy? It makes me mad when I hear you say this!"

He retreated his hands and stood up, angry. Lucy opened her eyes, weak.

"Please, don't be mad at me. I can't sleep if you are not here."

"You are weird, Lucy Lu."

Edmund shook his head defeated, taking her small body into his arms and kissing her forehead, but Lucy approached her face to his, waiting for something else.

"What are you doing?" Her brother told her confused.

Lucy smiled weirdly again.

"Just kiss me, Edmund." She said without realizing.

"Well, I kissed you on your forehead."

"Not on my forehead."

Edmund frowned. His mind was tangled. Lucy was really ranting.

"Lucy, you don't know what you talking about. Please, just sleep. Tomorrow you will fell better."

"I don't want to sleep!" She snapped at him. "I want you to kiss me!"

"Your illness makes you say these things, Luce. Cut it out!"

Edmund was going to jump from the bed when he felt her lips over his. He widened his eyes and broke the kiss, alarmed, but Lucy hold his face in her palms.

"Stop moving!" She yelped.

"Geez, Lucy, let me go! You're really ill!"

They began hitting and biting each other, disturbing the entire palace with their screams. In a few moments Peter and Susan entered Lucy's bedroom with a few guards behind them, checking panicked the whole chamber for intruders, but they only saw their little brother and sister wrestling on the floor like savages. They made gestures in the snickering guard's direction, suggesting them to leave the room.

"What's going on here??" Peter yelled furious at them. "You embarrass us in front of the whole Cair Paravel at four in the morning?!"

Edmund and Lucy didn't even hear him. They continued their fight, not noticing that the older Pevensie children were watching them.

"Stop it right now!!" Susan screeched with her high voice.

Edmund remained still, but Lucy, glad that he didn't pay attention to her anymore, bit his ear, making him scream in pain. Peter darted towards her and took her in his arms, trying to create space between them. His baby sister struggled, hitting the air with her legs.

"Put me down!" Lucy shrieked.

Susan looked worried at Edmund's ear and saw Lucy's teeth prints on it.

"We're going to have a long talk after this." Peter announced them serious.

--

The four Pevensies have gone in the Grand Room. Edmund and Lucy were sitting in their thrones, obedient, while Peter and Susan stood in front of them, gawking dangerously at their younger brother and sister.

"Ok." Peter started the interrogation, "What the heck happened this morning with you two??"

Susan covered quickly his mouth, rectifying her voice.

"Maybe you should let me begin." She told Peter. "Lucy, you may defend yourself."

"What??" Edmund shrilled. "We are not in a court here! And why does Lucy defend first? I'm older than her!"

Susan threw him a horrific look and Edmund closed his mouth, petrified. They waited for Lucy's words, but the girl just watched them silently with a confused face.

"I don't remember very well what I have done." She spoke. "I… I was very sick."

Edmund sighed relieved and smiled at her, thankful.

"I was sure that the illness was the cause! I knew that people can do or say crazy stuff without realize when they are sick." He said joyous, but he stopped when his brother and sisters stared at him in surprise. "Ummm… I mean, umm… she… she just…"

"What do you mean people can do crazy stuff when they are sick?" Peter interrupted him. "What did Lucy do?"

"I was referring to the fight! She started to slap me and I tried to keep her hands away from me, that's all!" Edmund told them quickly.

"Are you sure?" Peter asked him, narrowing his eyes suspicious.

"Yes! Of course I'm sure!"

"Well, I declare you both innocent!" Susan said proud, receiving weird looks from the others.

"You really like to believe you are a judge, right?" Peter mocked her.

"Oh, shut up!" She punched him in the shoulder.

They continued their bickering like two children. Lucy stood up from her throne and exited the room, feeling Edmund's eyes on her. When she was in the hall she heard after a few seconds his steps behind her. Lucy stopped and turned around.

"Leave me alone!" She squealed frustrated. "Don't you think I'm a weirdo because I kissed you?!"

"What?" Edmund said shocked. "But you said you don't remember! You lied??"

"No. I didn't remember, but when I saw your relieved face… I knew."

They stood in silence for a few moments.

"I'm sorry. My stomach hurts again." Lucy told him, sober.

She was prepared to leave, but Edmund caught her arm and hugged her tightly.

"I don't want to be the cause of your illness, Lu." He murmured in her ear.

Lucy rested her head on his shoulder and caressed his dark hair, with her fingers.

"There you are!" Peter called them, followed by Susan.

"Look at them, Pete, they are hugging. I'm happy that you managed to resolve your problems." Susan said contented.

Edmund and Lucy separated quickly with big, fake grins on their faces.

"We're glad, too." Edmund responded, smiling charmingly at Lucy, who felt dizzy again.

"Yeah…" Lucy said.

But she wasn't happy at all.


	3. Consort

Chapter 3-

Chapter 3- Consort

Edmund entered the dining room, grinning mischievously. He examined the place with one look, noticing Peter, Susan and Lucy sitting at the table and eating in silence.

"Hello, my dear family!" He suddenly yelled, making Susan drop her spoon, Peter choke with his food and Lucy fall from her chair. While he received angry looks from his sisters and brother, Edmund continued his road, whistling, and sat in his own chair, next to Susan.

"Wow, Su, did you cook this food?" He asked, chewing happily. "You really outmatched yourself this time."

"Actually," Susan smiled, "This is not food. This is the organic fertilizer for the plant that I have received from one of my admirers. It contains slime, frog eggs and tree rind."

Edmund jumped and spat disgusted the creepy fusion, cleaning desperately his tongue with his palms.

"What the heck was that doing on the table?!" He screeched with tears in his eyes.Peter laughed noisily and Lucy giggled, the pain from her stomach fading away. She felt like in the old times, when they just joked around with each other and when she didn't have those thoughts towards her older brother.

"I intended to take it, but I changed my mind when I saw you." Susan answered amused.

Edmund gazed horribly at his sister but he seemed to forget about his fury when the maid came to gather the mess he made on the table. Peter, Susan and Lucy watched how their brother smirked and wriggled his eyebrows at her.

"Let me help you." He offered, but she shook her head, blushing.

"I'm sorry, your majesty, but I have to do my job." The maid said, looking scared at his siblings. She bowed and exited quickly the room.

"What's wrong with all the girls from this place??" Edmund wondered, sitting in his chair. "It's like they are afraid of me."

"Because you flirt with the servants. Trust me, if you would talk like this with a princess or with a queen, she wouldn't refuse you." Peter told him.

"Like you know better." Susan said ironically.

"Hey, I knew that!" Edmund said offended. "I was referring to the girls from Cair Paravel, doofus!"

"Why do you need girls from Cair Paravel when you can find easily one from another kingdom?" Peter asked confused.

"Yeah, right, well I'm tired of the others. I have already tried them all." Edmund laughed wickedly and Lucy didn't know if her brain was in fire or not, but she was aware that she was going to explode in any minute.

"What about Amarra?" Susan asked.

"Amarra? Who is Amarra?" Edmund said dumbfounded.

"The girl you met at the ball, you idiot." Peter continued.

"Who cares about her? I don't even know where she is from." Edmund snickered.

Susan rolled her eyes and Peter stared disappointed at him, but Lucy hit the table with her fist, creating a small quake.

"Enough of this discussion!" She hollered wrathfully, making her brothers to gaze in surprise at her.

"Gee, calm down, Lucy Lu." Edmund said.

"Don't call me that!"

"Why not? I always call you like that. What happened to you?"

"Uh...I…umm…I can't…"

Since when has she started mumbling??

"I just… I can't eat my meal if you are talking!"

"Oh, really?" Edmund told her with a smug on his face.

"Please, don't start your fight aga…" Susan began, but Edmund interrupted her.

"Let me finish, Su. I don't think that's the real reason why you reacted like this, Lucy."

"No? Then what is the real reason, in your opinion?" She provoked him, with her eyes shining malevolently.

"I don't know. You tell me."

"I've told you already."

"That's not the real reason. You act strange. First, I'm the cause of your sickness and now you snap at us because we talk. About me, again. What's happening, Lucy Lu, you can't stand your brother anymore?"

"What?" Lucy said, widening her eyes. "This… this is not… I don't know what you are talking about! Who told you that I got sick because of you??"

"You. You told me. Don't you remember?"

"Shut up! You don't know anything about my feelings and about my thoughts!"

"And I should know, because I'm your brother!" He screamed at her.

At this point Edmund and Lucy were standing up, with their faces red like beet, spitting venomously one at another. Peter threw an alarmed look to Susan and pointed at Lucy with his head, while he walked towards Edmund and took him by his arm.

"Ok, I think that's sufficient for today." He spoke toughly, but Edmund jerked from his clutch.

"You stay out of this, Peter! This is me and Lucy's business!"

"Yes, and I am your older brother, Ed." Peter responded with patience.

"Don't touch me! I don't need your help and I don't need anyone's help! And you, Lucy, you're gonna explain to me all your weird deeds! Got that? I had enough of your behavior!"

Edmund left the room, gaping coldly at her, and Lucy thought she was going to break into thousand of pieces. She followed Edmund on the hall, escaping from Susan's grasp, and smacked him on the back of his head. He turned around, fuming, and hurled at her furious, making Lucy to yell desperately from all her lungs.

"Ahhh!! Peter!! Edmund hit me!"

"I didn't even touch you!" He retorted pissed off.

"I know." Lucy said. "But this way you're gonna be punished!"

"Newsflash, baby cake, we're not children anymore and Peter doesn't have any power over me! And why would I be punished?!"

"Because you deserve it!"

"You little snitch!"

Edmund was prepared to grab her arm, when he heard Peter behind him.

"Leave her alone, Edmund!"

Peter pushed Edmund and checked Lucy, anxious.

"Did he do anything to you, Luce?"

"Yes." She lied with a small voice. "He hit me."

"That's not true!" Edmund burst. "She's lying!! Traitor!"

"And then he tried to grab my arm and he threatened me he is going to lock me in my room for all day." Lucy continued, staring intensely at Edmund, who was in shock.

"I can't believe this! What's your problem, Lucy?! Did I do something bad to you or what?!"

"Look, Edmund, Lucy never lied to me and Susan. I don't care you have eighteen years, you'll receive the proper treatment if this happens once more." Peter warned his younger brother.

Edmund looked at Susan, hoping that she would interfere in his defense, like she always did when Peter scolded him, but his older sister just watched them in silence. He shook his head, narrowing his eyes at Lucy and went away.

--

"Come on, Ed." Lucy whispered.

She has tried to convince him to let her in his room for almost an hour, and it was already half past ten in the night.

"I'm sorry, I know I was obstinate and proud when I said those things today, but I was too angry. Open the door. Ok, fine. I'm whatever you want. I'm a snitch and a traitor, I'm a big mouth, just, please, open the door!"

"No! I won't do it!" Edmund yelled in her face, opening abruptly his door and then slamming it back.

"Well, you just opened it a second ago." Lucy said quietly, trying not to laugh.

She stood in front of his bedroom, waiting patiently. It passed a minute… two minutes… half an hour… two hours and fifteen minutes or two hours and five minutes?... maybe three…or three and a half… The young girl didn't know what time was, but she knew one thing: she has fallen asleep there, on the floor. She rose on her feet and listened to Edmund's door, but she didn't hear anything. Lucy walked in the dark and after a few steps she stumbled upon her own legs and fell with a thump making a loud noise, against her will. She covered her mouth with her hands and looked around. Luckily, nobody heard her. Or so she thought a moment ago.

"Oh God, Lucy, are you still here??" Edmund spoke in amazement.

"Umm… I ….I… was just…"

"Don't tell me you have stood here for almost four hours." He soughed unsurely, with a grimace.

"Of course not!" Lucy said, trying to stand on her legs. "I was going to the bathroom."

"But you have a bathroom in your room."

"So? I just wanted to take a walk."

"In the middle of the night?"

"You know what, Edmund? I don't have to give you explanations for every thing I do."

"You're right. You don't have to. Anyway, you're a freak and I don't want to talk to freaks. Have a bad night and terrible dreams, Lucy!" He spat at her with a furious face.

"Thank you very much! I wish you the same thing!"

"Ok, fine!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

"Are you going to leave and close the door behind you or not?" Lucy asked.

"No!"

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to!"

"I suggest you go to sleep, Edmund."

"Since when are you telling me what to do?"

"Since now."

"You're younger than me, Lucy, so shut up!"

"No, you shut up!"

"Will you just shut up?!"

"I'm not going to shut up just because you want me to shut up!"

"Ok, this is stupid." Edmund concluded.

"You're right."

"That means you should go to your bedroom."

"Yeah, but first you go to sleep."

"Oh, please, you stubborn brat."

"Annoying idiot."

"Weird monkey."

"Scary ghost."

"What the…?! Why do you keep saying that I'm scary? And a scary ghost??"

"Because you look like a scary ghost." Lucy mocked him.

"No, I don't! And If I would be a ghost, then I would be a handsome ghost." He said proudly.

"Who cares?? A ghost is scary, anyway."

"So you admit that I'm handsome."

"When I admitted?"

"But you didn't deny it."

"Well, I deny it, now."

"Too late."

"It's too late for what?"

"It's too late for…uh… you denying that I'm handsome."

Lucy cringed, but when she saw his face, she started sweating.

"You… you are the most stupid person I have ever met."

Edmund furrowed his brow and folded his arms, gaping darkly at his little sister and Lucy felt shivers in her body. She didn't know if those were shivers because of her feelings for him or because she was afraid. Maybe both.  
"Edmund, I was nice, after all, and I apologized for what I did to you today. But you don't know what compassion and true regrets means."

"Apology accepted." He told her simply.

Lucy waited for him to say something else and she realized he was too busy to study her. She turned to leave, but he grabbed Lucy's hand and enlaced her in his arms, squeezing his body to hers.

"Oh, I know very well what compassion means, Luce." Edmund murmured. He smiled, feeling Lucy's fast heartbeats, and released her. The young girl looked at him, taken by surprise and saw her brother's strange smirk in the corners of his mouth. She gulped and nodded, trembling.

"See you tomorrow, Ed."

"Be safe and try not to make fever again." He snickered.

Lucy leapt horrified and watched him uncertain.

"I… Don't worry. I won't make fever." She answered hateful. "Not this time."

--

Lucy and Susan were in the middle of a discussion when one of the servants entered Susan's room and bowed politely.

"Sorry for disturbance, my queens. You are waited in the Throne Room."

"Who is waiting for us?" Susan asked.

"King Peter the Magnificent, King Edmund the Just and King Romek from Archenland."

"King Romek?" Lucy said confused.

"That means he came for me, Luce!" Susan exclaimed. "Isn't this great? Another admirer to my collection."

"Actually." The servant told them doubtfully. "King Romek said he came for Queen Lucy the Valiant."

"What?!" The Pevensie sisters shouted at the same time.

Susan and Lucy ran to the Throne Room and barged through the big, massive doors, only to see a serious Peter, a bored Edmund and another man who smiled entrancingly at the girls.

"Queen Lucy, Queen Susan." He greeted them, bending in front of each sister.

Susan and Lucy grinned falsely, not knowing what to do. Then, Lucy turned her attention to Peter.

"Umm, Pete, what's going on?" She spoke, although Lucy knew already the answer.

Peter stood up and threw her an assertive look.

"King Romek from Archenland came to ask your hand in marriage, Lucy."

"Puh-lea-se!" Edmund burst. "She's too young for you, King Romie. So you can go back from where you came."

"Edmund!" Peter snapped frustrated. "You cannot treat our guests like that!"

"No, King Edmund is right, your majesty." Romek said.

"See? Told ya." Edmund told Peter triumphantly.

"But I'm not going to leave, until I find out Queen Lucy's opinion." He continued, gazing menacingly at Edmund, who clenched his fists.

"Oh, that's wonderful, Luce!" Susan blurted excited. "Soon, you'll have a consort!"

"Woah, wait a second!" Edmund yelped." She's not going to marry! She has sixteen for Aslan's sake! Susan, you're twenty and you're not married!"

"That was my decision, but Lucy can marry whenever she wants." Susan shrugged.

"I guess this is Lucy's choice." Peter told them.

Lucy felt their stares and shook her head agitated.

"I… I don't even know you." She muttered timidly.

"That can be resolved." Romek smiled and kissed the back of her hand, flattering Lucy.

"But I can try." She finished her sentence enchanted.

Lucy ignored, this time, the knot from her chest. And her brother's dark glare, too.


End file.
